Prior-art air conditioning systems are known, in which, especially when the air to be treated is cooled, as the air is flowing over a condenser of a refrigerant circuit, water condensed out of the air is directed through a drainage system in the vicinity of the vehicle. However, water that penetrates into a housing of the air conditioning system from outside, for example through a fresh air intake or opening, is mostly not removed via a drainage system. The water that has penetrated via the fresh air intake into the housing of the air conditioning system when a car is washed collects within the intake and then can get into a passenger compartment of the vehicle.
Traditional air conditioning systems exhibit two separate air intakes for operation with recirculating air, operation with fresh air, or hybrid operation with recirculating air and fresh air. Depending on the requirement, air is brought by suction through the fresh air intake from the area around the motor vehicle, or through a recirculating air intake from the passenger compartment.
In air conditioning systems known from prior art, the air intakes for fresh air and recirculated air are mostly aligned to be opposite one another. The fresh air intake points in the direction of a front side or a bulkhead of the vehicle, while the recirculating air intake points in the direction of the passenger compartment.
In other known air conditioning systems, the air intakes for the fresh air and recirculating air are directed parallel toward the head end. The recirculating air intake is placed vertically beneath the fresh air intake. The recirculating air intake in this case points in the direction of the bulkhead, and not in the direction of the passenger compartment.
Where the air intakes are placed facing the bulkhead of the vehicle, and the recirculating air intake faces vertically, directly beneath the fresh air intake, a danger exists that the water getting through the fresh air intake into the housing of the air conditioning system from around the vehicle will come directly into the passenger compartment via the recirculating air intake.
The water that gets into the housing, especially through the fresh air intake, is thus to be specifically directed, and brought out of the housing again. However, placing the fresh air intake and the recirculated air intake one above the other, makes it difficult for the penetrated water to be specifically directed away.
In air conditioning systems known from prior art, additionally the air filter is placed in an area of the housing in which the water getting through the fresh air intake can move onward. The air filter, which is to be situated within the housing, so as to be easily replaceable, can be accessed for service through an opening in the housing. The opening can be closed again and sealed against outflowing water.
Customarily, to close the opening again, a cover element is used with additional seals, which are separately inserted on the cover element, or formed directly on the cover element in one step of the two-component spraying process.
In air conditioning systems known from prior art, it is characteristic that the arrangements of the fresh air intake and recirculating air intake do not point in one direction, or insufficient protection is provided to prevent water from the surrounding area from passing into the passenger compartment, via the recirculating air intake placed beneath the fresh air intake.
In addition, the openings for replacement of the air filter are closed by covering elements, which exhibit additional elements for sealing a separation site between the air intake housing and the covering element, or are manufactured in an expensive procedure. The additional elements or the expensive manufacturing process result in higher costs in producing and maintaining the air conditioning system.